Which of the Stampeders might step up this season?

The Calgary Stampeders' Wynton McManis celebrates after recovering an Ottawa fumble during Grey Cup action against the Ottawa Redblacks at Commonwealth Stadium in Edmonton on Sunday November 25, 2018. Gavin Young/PostmediaGavin Young / Postmedia

Rookie camp starts Thursday. Full camp gets going Sunday. The collective bargaining agreement looks set to be signed and the 2019 CFL season gets underway in a couple weeks.

For the Calgary Stampeders — the team that takes the field in Week 1 on June 15 against the Ottawa Redblacks — everything is going to look very different from the team that won the Grey Cup last November.

Eleven of the 24 starters on offence and defence in last year’s championship game are gone, so there are a lot of jobs available as camp gets underway.

Now, until we’ve gotten eyes on the rookies, it’s a little hard to say if we should expect any first-year guys to emerge as starters right away like Tre Roberson did at corner last year.

But as Stamps head coach Dave Dickenson pointed out during a media availability on Monday, his team is loaded with young players who have been around for a couple years waiting for an opportunity.

“That’s happened every year we’ve been in this league, a guy just sits there and waits and waits and we think he’s gonna be good but he can’t show it until he gets that opportunity,” Dickenson said. “There’s plenty of spots open and plenty of opportunity on this team this year so we’re excited to see which one of these guys is going to go out there and grab it.”

Here’s a look at some key positions — not including quarterback or running back — on the Stampeders offence and defence and who likely has the inside track on jobs.

What’s the deal: Singleton and Thurman formed the best linebacking duo in the CFL last season, and it was no surprise that the NFL came calling for both guys. You don’t just replace two guys of their calibre without having to make some adjustments, but there’s reason to believe this can still be a position of strength for the Stamps this season. McManis led the league in special teams tackles last year, while Greenwood brings a wealth of NFL and CFL experience and guys like Jones and Mezzalira seem primed for much bigger roles.

What Dickenson said:

“Super big competition,” Dickenson said. “I think the linebackers we brought in, it’s going to be a big battle. Wynton (McManis) has the upper hand, he knows both spots, (weakside and middle) and I do feel like he took a big step forward.”

What’s the deal: The Stamps got hit hard on the d-line in free-agency this year. Johnson was the league’s best defensive tackle last year and was a contender for Most Outstanding Defensive Player, while Davis is one of the most underrated defensive ends in the CFL. Getting Cordarro Law back and having Junior Turner and Derek Wiggan healthy and available means the Stamps have some very effective pieces here, but the Stamps are going to need guys like Folarin Orimolade and Mike Rose to build off the work they put in last season.

What Dickenson said:

“I certainly was hoping Micah (Johnson) would stay with us for the long haul, it didn’t work out, my brother (Craig Dickenson) has got a good player there in Sask,” Dickenson said. “We do feel like we’ve got some guys here, but we also want to give our Canadian guys a look. Mike Rose has been super patient, he’s been on our practice roster for two years now. He has played well in pre-season and when he’s gotten his opportunities. It’s not like you’re replacing Micah, though, he’s a special man. Not only was he explosive and fast, there’s only so many of him out there. We’ve got to do some different things, but we’ll have some guys in there who can battle.”

What’s the deal: The stats didn’t necessarily jump out at you when you looked at the 2018 Stampeders defensive backs, but don’t get confused, they were as stingy a group as any in the CFL. They got hit hard in the off-season, though. Berger’s retirement and Adeleke’s departure in free-agency leaves the safety job open, and if the Stamps opt to stick with a Canadian at that job, things could get interesting. Stephen is the most experienced, but guys like Dagogo Maxwell and Metchie could see an increase in playing time, too. Replacing Evans is no easy task, and Davis’ departure leaves a big hole, too, although the team is known to be high on Amos. As Dickenson explained, though, the most important thing for this unit might be getting longtime veterans Brandon Smith and Jamar Wall back, as they know the system so well they’re going to help any newcomers figure it out.

What Dickenson said:

“J-Wall (and) Smitty are the guys,” Dickenson said. “Those are the guys who keep everyone together back there. Those guys are our leaders. They run meetings with (defensive backs coach Josh Bell). The other guys are certainly skill-wise, younger, fresher legs, but those two vets are the glue. They’re the glue of the group and we’re happy to have both those guys back.”

What’s the deal: There’s a little bit of movement here, with Ucambre Williams being moved to right-tackle and 2018 first-round draft pick Ryan Sceviour being slotted in as the Stamps’ starting centre. Largely, this is a solid group. In the two guard positions, Brad Erdos and Shane Bergman are as good as anyone in the league, and Derek Dennis was dominant last season at left-tackle. If Sceviour can take the next step in his development at centre and Williams fits in well on the right — or some of the backups like Kasitati make the leap — Bo Levi Mitchell should have a lot of protection this year.

What Dickenson said:

“We thought ‘let’s let Ryan take a shot at centre’ knowing full-well that Ucambre can come back into the middle,” Dickenson said. “We lost a tackle. Ucambre came into the league as a tackle. I think he’s one of the more physical guys in the league. Very smart, great leader, so we’re going to mix-and-match a bit.

“We feel good about our offensive live. We will get challenged with depth, always happens, but I feel as far as going into a season I feel as good about this group as I’ve felt about our offensive line the last five years.”

What’s the deal: It’s a little more complicated than the lists above suggest. Grant and Matthews were brought in as last-minute help after the entire Stamps receiving corps was devastated by injuries last year, and we’ve seen more than enough from Ambles and Begelton to know they’re going to have big seasons. With Kamar Jorden out until at least September, though, the Stamps are going to be relying on those two and hoping Eric Rogers can stay healthy. Otherwise, there just isn’t much experience among the Americans here, so the Stamps are going to need a rookie or two to step up. Among the Canadians, Juwan Brescacin seems primed for a huge year, and it’ll be up to the likes of Lynch, Klukas and Sindani to step up and try to fill Durant’s shoes. There’s talent here, but there’s question marks, too.

What Dickenson said:

“This is the most bodies we’ve ever brought in at receiver because we know the jobs are available,” Dickenson said. “If Reggie Begelton comes back in to the mode he was (at) before he broke his arm, there’s no doubt he can be a CFL All-Star and will be if he starts all the games. “Markeith Ambles, once again, we’re moving him around. Very versatile, he went five straight games with a touchdown. That’s pretty good for a rookie.” “(Rogers) dominated when he played, but it was pretty hard for him to feel too good two games in a row. We will monitor him in camp but he should be good to go.”